Jason Ohler is an educational technology expert from Alaska, whose message for this conference was digital story telling.

The DAOW of literacy in a storytelling environment

Digital, Art, Oral and Written literacies- the DAOW of literacy - external image DAOW-4circles2.gif are crucial for personal, academic and workplace success in the Digital Age and blend very well in a digital storytelling environment. He argued that oral and written storytelling, as well as storytelling using digital and art skills, are involved in the creation of digital stories, and how all these literacies and forms of storytelling can reinforce each other. This improves literacy and expression in all areas.





Daniel Pink's work focuses on the considerations of left brain (linear, sequential) thinking and right brain (creative, artistic) thinking. While the left brain work of logic and reason is necessary for almost all we do, it is not enough. The challenges of today require the work of the right brain to innovate and move our cultures forward.

Dan's presentation focused on the world as we know it now, and his vision of the world that our students will inherit. He challenges educational institutions to prepare students "for the world in which they will live, not our pasts".

Three factors that will affect our future are asia, automation, and abundance. India will soon become the most English speaking country in the world. Any process (job) that can be broken into steps and written down in linear description with a dependable outcome, can be and will be automated, and then sent to the cheapest source for completion. Abundance requires that we produce novel and exciting products to capture the interest of a population that is endowed with many gifts.